St. James Catholic Church

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

1. St. James Catholic Church Marker

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From the National Register Nomination prepared by Bonnie J. Halda and Mary Young, 6/1982:
The need for a larger church was evident in 1910 and through Father Geraghty's efforts the new church was constructed. A building committee headed by Michael Murphy, a local banker and contractor, hired the Hancock Brothers from Fargo to design the new building. George

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

2. St. James Catholic Church Marker

The marker is mounted above the cornerstone on the northeast corner of the north tower.

and Walter B. Hancock arrived in Dakota Territory in 1882 to set up an architectural practice which soon flourished. Their firm designed a wide variety of building types, always in the current architectural fashions of the time. The St. James Catholic Church is an unusually fine example of their Gothic Revival style of architecture. Jeff Shelde, a contractor from Litchfield, Minnesota, was chosen to construct the new church. Shelde's other works in Jamestown include the Armory, Gladstone Hotel addition, Citizen's Bank Building, and several houses, but building the St. James Catholic Church was probably the most ambitious endeavor of his construction career. The foundation for the church was laid in 1910 and during the following three years construction proceeded. Bishop James O’Reilly of Fargo officiated at the dedication of the church on November 29, 1914.

St. James Catholic Church is a highly visible reminder of a small parish that has become the largest Catholic parish in North Dakota. The church building is significant for its association with the Jamestown parish, and for its architecture. The Gothic Revival structure, with its elaborate ornamentation, is recognized as a landmark not only in Jamestown, but in the state of North Dakota. With its upward lines, soaring elements, vaulted ceilings, spires, steeples, and towers all pointing towards Heaven, the St. James Catholic Church provides an extraordinary reminder of the Gothic Revival style of design as used in church architecture in North Dakota.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

3. St. James Catholic Church (east/front elevation)

Excerpt:  St. James Basilica is a Latin Catholic parish church in the Diocese of Fargo as well as a minor basilica located in Jamestown, North Dakota, United States. A previous church building, completed in 1882, served briefly as a cathedral in the 19th century. The present church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as St. James Catholic Church, and it was elevated to a minor basilica in 1988.

Catholics settled in the Jamestown area as early as 1872, and the first Mass was celebrated in the town on January 10, 1879. Father Flannigan became the parish's first pastor in 1882. He raised $6,000 to build a frame church that measured 86 by 60 feet, and a small rectory next door. They were completed in June 1882.

On November 10, 1889 Pope Leo XIII established the Diocese of Jamestown, and St. James became the cathedral church for the new diocese. By the early 20th century it became obvious that a new church was needed. Under the direction of the Rev. Edward J. Geraghty and Michael Murphy, a local banker and contractor who led the building committee, the Hancock Brothers of Fargo designed a new church in the Gothic Revival style. Jeff Shelde from Litchfield, Minnesota was chosen as the contractor. The groundbreaking took place in 1910 and it took four years to build the church. Bishop James O'Reilly consecrated it on November 29, 1914.

On October 26, 1988 Pope John Paul II elevated St. James Church to the rank of a minor basilica. Bishop James S. Sullivan presided at the dedication liturgy on July 23, 1989.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

4. St. James Catholic Church (east/front entrance)

From the National Register Nomination:  A grand 32-foot-wide stairway of granite steps approaches the triple entry on the east. Clusters of Corinthian-capped pilasters frame each side of the Gothic-arched entries. The main entry in the center consists of double four-panel wood doors with a stained-glass transom of three tangential circles. Two smaller entries of single four-panel wood doors and transoms of three partial circles are on either side of the main entry. Above the entrance a row of intricate brick corbelling visually separates the first story from the loft level. An impressive stained-glass window of five panels and delicate tracery portrays St. Cecelia, the patroness of music, playing the harp.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 28, 2024

5. St. James Catholic Church (northeast elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The church's most impressive feature is the twin square towers that flank the entry on the east facade. The towers are visually supported by three-step buttresses at each corner. Double windows light the first story, single windows are at the loft level, and double louvered windows punctuate the belfry. Rectangular panels created by recessed brickwork with a wood cornice of acanthus leaves above terminate the square towers. Rising from the cornice are four mini-steeples, one at each corner, between which a gabled roof shelters a single louvered window. Finally, the octagonal roofs of the spires cap the towers and are crowned by 23 carat gold-leaf crosses.